I asked my two-workers, one of whom came in #2 in ESPN's national fantasy baseball league (the other plays as well), to rebuild the Sox. The rules were: you can keep/trade/acquire anybody you want, but it has to be realistic. In other words, a reasonable price on, say, an acquisition--no fantasies about A-Rod or Randy Johnson.

They're both Cub fans, but follow the Sox as well and have provided some stinging criticism throughout the season.

That leaves openings at shortstop and left field, or perhaps center field. Also, both remarked that Shingo should be a setup guy and we should get a bonafide closer.

I'm not sure about all of these, but I'm interested to hear what the fans here think.

nodiggity59

09-07-2004, 04:20 PM

Thomas leaving is impossible as he will exercise his $8mil player option and has a no trade clause.

LVSoxFan

09-07-2004, 04:41 PM

...was that you just bench Thomas and not play him until he begs to be traded.

This is what happens when knowledgeable but otherwise non-Sox-fans start theorizing.

Like that would ever happen.

So I'll go with you on that and assume Thomas is here next year; as DH and backup 1st baseman. So take him off the table. What next?

PorkChopExpress

09-07-2004, 04:44 PM

I asked my two-workers, one of whom came in #2 in ESPN's national fantasy baseball league (the other plays as well), to rebuild the Sox. The rules were: you can keep/trade/acquire anybody you want, but it has to be realistic. In other words, a reasonable price on, say, an acquisition--no fantasies about A-Rod or Randy Johnson.

They're both Cub fans, but follow the Sox as well and have provided some stinging criticism throughout the season.

That leaves openings at shortstop and left field, or perhaps center field. Also, both remarked that Shingo should be a setup guy and we should get a bonafide closer.

I'm not sure about all of these, but I'm interested to hear what the fans here think.They
also have some glaring holes in their pitching staff to fill, unless they plan to go into '05 with a three man rotation. And it looks as if Maggs is all but gone at this point. Oh, and don't even think of getting rid of the Hurt!

nodiggity59

09-07-2004, 05:09 PM

I do think a radical change along the lines they're suggesting could work, for the right deals.

ewokpelts

09-07-2004, 09:55 PM

Thomas leaving is impossible as he will exercise his $8mil player option and has a no trade clause.he does not have a no trade clause. He's a 10/5 player. He has the automatic authority to veto any trade.
Gene

Daver

09-07-2004, 09:58 PM

he does not have a no trade clause. He's a 10/5 player. He has the automatic authority to veto any trade.
Gene
He does have a no trade clause, a carryover from his old contract, which also guarantees his options at the highest value if he is traded.

RKMeibalane

09-07-2004, 10:03 PM

I see that stupidity is still running rampant on this board. Accept it, people. Frank Thomas will be back next season, regardless of whether he's wanted or not. Furthermore, Frank Thomas was this team's best hitter before going down with his ankle injury.

I cannot for the life of me begin to understand why so many people still want him to leave town. I might be more understanding if he had been hurting the team, but it's clear to me (and others) that the Sox need Frank Thomas if they are to have any chance of getting back to the post-season. Surely the disaster that this season has become would have finally shown shown the Frank-haters just how much the Big Hurt means to the Sox organization.

But then again, what do I know? I'm just a Sox fan.

balke

09-07-2004, 11:55 PM

I see that stupidity is still running rampant on this board. Accept it, people. Frank Thomas will be back next season, regardless of whether he's wanted or not. Furthermore, Frank Thomas was this team's best hitter before going down with his ankle injury.

I cannot for the life of me begin to understand why so many people still want him to leave town. I might be more understanding if he had been hurting the team, but it's clear to me (and others) that the Sox need Frank Thomas if they are to have any chance of getting back to the post-season. Surely the disaster that this season has become would have finally shown shown the Frank-haters just how much the Big Hurt means to the Sox organization.

But then again, what do I know? I'm just a Sox fan.

Scrapers man!!!, we need scrapers! Give me 9 Perez's to go. I want a Dh who's not afraid to drop a bunt, some players who are so average my kid will root for the other team, and to really rework this farm system for the next 7-8 years so we can get some more Borchards and reed's and Diaz's out of there. This is the NL right, we're in Minnesota?

For all the OBP bull running round these parts, why you would want to trade 8 mil of unreal run production/OPS/OBP/HR/BB/white sox history/ the best DH in the League is beyond anyone with rational thought. If the inmates ran the asylum, there'd be no sox, only marlins, twins, and pirate knockoffs. The history of Frank is worth more to me than any hole filled on this team. The loss of him would be a crater in comparison.